Architecture and Urban Design Portfolio by praslazaid

R ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN

O ZAID ZULFIKAR PRASLA SELECTED WORKS | 2018 - 2021

ABOUT ME Hello, my name is Zaid Prasla and I recently completed my post graduate degree in Architectural and Urban Design (MSc) from The University of Edinburgh. Ever since my undergraduate studies in architecture, the subject of cities and public spaces always fascinated me and inspired me to further pursue my education in the field of urban design.

Over the past one year, I had the opportunity to work for HCP Design, Planning and Management, an urban design firm based in Ahmedabad in India where I worked on multiple masterplanning projects such as Mumbai Port Redevelopment Project, Pune Indriyani River Rejuvenation Project and the New Delhi Central Vista Revamp Project. I was a part of a core designing team where I was tasked with the design and layout of the streets, landscape and design reports for the client meetings and presentation. The rare opportunity to work for an urban design firm before my post graduate degree provided me with the necessary skills and experience requried in the working on a large scale urbanism projects as a team and in correlation with other stakeholders involved in the project. The following portfolio incorporates few academic and professional projects I undertook between 2018 and 2021, during the five years of undergraudate studies and one year of masters in architecture and urban design and also includes one year of professional project of Mumbai Port I undertook when I was a part of HCP Team in Ahmedabad. The projects in the following portfolio explore the complex relationship of architecture and urban design through various scales of body, building, streets, neighbourhood and the city.

ZAID PRASLA EXPERIENCE

A: Edinburgh, United Kingdom M: +44 7587 103360 E: praslazaid@gmail.com W: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaid-prasla-0a9503111/

HCP Design Planning and Management - Architect/ Urban Designer

RE SU ME 2019 - 2020

Projects Worked upon 1. Mumbai Port Redevelopment Project, Mumbai Worked on the detailed master plan, street design and layout, landscape design, and design reports for the client and stakeholders in the project. 2. Pune Indriyani River Rejuvenation Project, Pune Worked on the conceptual master plan and 3D visualisation of the riverfront development. 3. New Delhi Central Vista Revamp Project, New Delhi Worked on the initial inception report for the project which includes the New Secretariat, Parliament and a bio-diversity park. Delta Venture and Realty -Junior Architect

2018 - 2019

Projects Worked upon 1. Delta Garden and Vrindavan Township, Mumbai Worked on the measured working drawings and site supervision ARK Reza Kabul - Internship

2016 - 2017

Projects Worked upon 1. Township Crimea, Russia Worked on the conceptual visualisation and 3D diagrams for the competition 2. Residential Projects - Clan Park, Brooklyn Park Worked on the measured working drawings and landscape design

EDUCATION

Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design

2020 - 2021

The University of Edinburgh, UK Bachelor of Architecture

2013 - 2018

University of Mumbai, India

SOFTWARES

Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe AfterEffects, Adobe PremierePro, Adobe Lightroom, Lumion, Google Sketchup Pro, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD, Microsoft Office

LANGUAGES

English (Fluent), French (Beginner), Hindi (Fluent), Gujarati (Fluent), Marathi (Intermediate)

CONTENTS

ARTIFICIAL EXCAVATION OF EDINBURGH: A NEW VEGETAL BEING

MUMBAI PORT REDEVELOPMENT

P6 - 13

P14 - 25

EKSAR LAKE: KOLIWADA VILLAGE

P26 - 31

A GLOBAL CENTRE FOR PLURALISM

P32 - 35

BKC BUSINESS CENTRE

P36 - 39

CONTACT

P40 - 41

ARTIFICIAL EXCAVATION OF EDINBURGH: A NEW VEGETAL BEING

DESIGN DISSERTATION: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT EDINBURGH, U.K., 2020 - 2021

FRAGMENTS OF MEMORIES: CITY OF EDINBURGH

‘History is not continuous. It is made up of stops and starts, of presences and absences. The presences are the times when history is vital… the absences are the…voids in between one “run” of history and the next. These are filled by memory. Where history ends, memory begins.’ - Peter Eisenman Caledonia’ is a Latin word used by the Romans to describe the unexplored wilderness of land situated to the north of River Forth in Scotland. However, today the word is used by philosophical thinkers and poets to describe Scotland as a whole. The thesis therefore intends to employ the word ‘Caledonia’ through a new contemporary urban design technique which commences an enquiry of excavating this ecological world of the past in the city of Edinburgh and in doing so, also the whole of Scotland. In the thesis of ‘Artificial Excavation of Edinburgh’ the concept of a ground is investigated as an urban artificial stratum of man-made superficial deposits such as roads, concrete, and urban landscapes. This ground is visualised to hold archaeological layers of history alongside the ecological world in the form of ruins, natural sub-soil, and organic materials (plants) buried underneath the modern city of Edinburgh. Although Peter Eisenman in his concept of Artificial Excavation does not depend upon archaeology as his device for excavating the ground, my thesis intends to open up an archaeological narrative which utilises both the concepts of ‘archaeology’ and ‘artificial’ in correlation with one another where archaeological diagrams are used to investigate the historical layers of the city buried underneath the ‘artificial’ urban strata and the concept of 6

a physical cut in the ground is employed to expose these layers in the city. This new urban narrative revisualizes the city as a site of continuous rediscovery as the ground is strategically and concurrently cut through different time periods (past, present, and future) revealing artificially [re]constructed fragments of memories unscathed in relation to a new vegetal world. The following study of the city and its history provided the strategic moments in time that is required to reconstruct the ruins of Edinburgh’s past in a fragmented trace. With the introduction of a new networks of architectural agencies in the city, the project revisualizes the city as a series of enzymatic territories where the excavation of the city and the architecture can be read in relation to one another. These agencies are envisioned as the architecture of the future, an intervention by the future city on the ‘artificial’ urban stratum in 2050 A.D. It is the intention of the thesis to deliver the city potential sites of excavation in the future. The location of these agencies is therefore situated along strategic landmarks along the Cowgate which have a rich history, that is Grassmarket, George IV Bridge, South Bridge and Holyrood Park with other potential sites of excavations to be explored in the future

AXONOMETRIC VIEW: A PALIMPSEST OF CITY’S MEMORIES (SOUTH BRIDGE)

AXONOMETRIC VIEW: A PALIMPSEST OF CITY’S MEMORIES (GRASSMARKET) 7

A PALIMPSEST OF MEMORY: HISTORICAL STUDY OF EDINBURGH

4000 B.C.

1817 A.D.

500 A.D.

1851 A.D.

1450 A.D.

2020 A.D.

1742 A.D.

2050 A.D.

8 1787 A.D.

IDENTIFYING EXCAVATION SITES

FRAGMENTS OF MEMORIES: GRASSMARKET

FRAGMENTS OF MEMORIES: GRASSMARKET EXCAVATION SITE

FRAGMENTS OF MEMORIES: GEORGE IV BRIDGE EXCAVATION SITE

SECTION THROUGH EXHIBITION CENTRE, GRASSMARKET

A SERIES OF ENZYMATIC TERRITORY: SECTION THROUGH GRASSMARKET TO GEORGE IV BRIDGE

A SERIES OF ENZYMATIC TERRITORY: SECTION THROUGH SOUTH BRIDGE

SECTION THROUGH THE NEW LIBRARY, GEORGE IV BRIDGE

SECTION THROUGH THE NEW RESIDENCES, SOUTH BRIDGE

A BODY SCALE STUDY: EXHIBITION CENTRE

A BODY SCALE STUDY: THE NEW LIBRARY

A BODY SCALE STUDY:THE NEW RESIDENCES

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: EXHIBITION CENTRE

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE NEW LIBRARY

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE NEW RESIDENCE

MUMBAI PORT REDEVELOPMENT: A REJUVENATED EASTERN SEAFRONT

HCP DESIGN, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: PROFESSIONAL PROJECT MUMBAI, INDIA, 2019 - 2020

PROPOSED REJUVENATION OF THE EASTERN SEAFRONT OF MUMBAI

The Mumbai Port Trust area, spanning about 10 kms, along the Eastern Waterfront is one of the best waterfront properties located in the heart of Mumbai city. Due to shifting of some port activities from to the new port across the bay, an area of about 500 Ha is available for redevelopment. Considering the extreme shortage of built space in the city, this underutilized land offers a great and historic opportunity to fulfil the demand for space. It would also give an impetus to the economy and provide the much needed social and recreational public amenities to the city. The masterplan for the Mumbai Port Complex (MPC) has been proposed to meet dual objectives - of repurposing the port lands and of integrating it with the rest of the city, providing public spaces and facilities to the citizens. After winning the project through a global tender, HCP is in the process of preparing the masterplan for the 500 Ha (approximately) of port lands. The draft masterplan proposes to develop a new financial centre, a Government office, hotels, commercial as well as residential properties in close proximity to the proposed metro line and the exisitng sub-urban railway stations.

The waterfront area is also proposed as a tourist and recreational zone which will have features such as the Mumbai Eye, Tourist Ferry Services, Cruises and Ropeway Connection to Elephanta Caves among other things. The project will also preserve heritage structures like the Sewri Fort, Ghadiyal Godi (Clock Tower) as well as the environmentally sensitive mudflats and mangroves that attract flamingos and other flora and fauna. The future development will also open up multiple eastwest street connections to connect Mumbai to MPC and the Eastern Waterfront. In addition to preparing a masterplan, HCP is also tasked to prepare infrastructure design, investment and marketing strategy, enagge in business development and provide support for statutory approvals under the project.

PROPOSED EASTERN SEAFRONT (CENTRAL PARK )

PROPOSED CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND ACTIVITY PIERS

ISOMETRIC VIEW: PROPOSED REJUVENATED EASTERN SEAFRONT

The Mumbai Port is well connected to the rest of the island city with an elevated Eastern Freeway which connects Mazgaon to the eastern suburbs of Chembur close to the airport and a new proposed Harbour Sea Link connecting the western region of the city to New Bombay across the sea. The 253 ha. site under the first phase of development integrates the existing road network with new road layout by widening and increasing the overall width of the roads and encouraging walking by reducing the distance between junctions. The street network is divided into four different categories: 1. Major Arterial Roads (MA): 70M and 30M. 2. Minor Arterial Roads (MIA): 30M 3. Major Streets (MS): 30M and 25M 4. Local Streets (LS): 30M and 18M The major arterial roads are designed to incorporate heavy vehicular traffic along with pedestrian traffic. These roads act as a major transporation street network connecting the city to the site. The major arterial roads then slowly break down into minor arterials, major streets and finally local streets as one travels deeper towards the eastern seafront. 16

PROPOSED AND EXISTING MOBILITY NETWORKS IN THE DISTRICT OF MUMBAI PORT

MA70A: The Major Arterial Road which is 70 metres wide passes through the site connecting the new proposed site with the rest of the city. The road is proposed to incorporate multiple elements including a bicycle track, a pedestrian public space and a transit-oriented development along the urban corridor.

MIA30A: The Minor Arterial Road which is 30 metres wide passes through the Central Park, the major public park of the site and incorporates a bicycle track, parking spaces and a shopping arcade.

LS18B: The Local Street which is 18 metres wide is designed to be the streets which connects the buildings to the major arterial roads. These roads are for lighter vehicular traffic with maximised parking spaces and act as a service road to enter the buildings and other ancillary areas.

LS30A: The Local Street which is 30 metres wide is a commerical street along the major Central Park with a shopping arcade, outdoor cafeterias and public spaces. The street is designed to encourage more pedestrian movement and restrict vehicular access to the site apart from public transportation.

EKSAR LAKE:

REINTEGRATION OF THE KOLIWADA VILLAGE IN THE CITY URBAN DESIGN PROJECT: GROUP PROJECT MUMBAI, INDIA, 2017

THE KOLIWADA VILLAGE AS IT EXISTS TODAY IN BORIVALI

ABOUT BORIVALI

The neighbourhood of Borivali where the Eksar Village is located is a cluster of closely knit communities residing in what is called a ‘gaothan’ where fishing is still the prominent profession dating back to the 1600s when the locals engaged in agriculture and fishing. However, the village today faces demolition due to few dilapidated buildings and displacement of the villagers who have been the residents in the area even before the independence to pave way for new urban infrastructure and real estate. The character of the village can be seen a peaceful community with a colourful vibrance and rich cultural value but the new urban development might see the people adapting to a new alien form of living culture. When one walks down the narrow urban streets, one can observe various activities breaking out throughout different time of the day: women interacting on the streets while buying fresh vegetables from the vendor, senior citizens relaxing in their verandahs, clothesline hanging over the balconies and people socialising in the evening outside their homes with the community. 26

The new proposal for redevelopment and refurbishment of the area aims at restoring the community living character of the area and providing the residents a familiar sense of living they are used to. The character of the street is pedestrianised to move the light vehicular traffic onto the major arterial roads on the periphery of the village thereby, forcing people to walk in the village and to accomodate other day-to-day activities of the village such as markets etc.

The urban corridor to be retained in the design

Eksar Lake

ISOMETRIC VIEW: THE URBAN CHARACTER OF THE VILLAGE

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE URBAN STREET OF THE VILLAGE ( A SENSE OF COMMUNAL LIVING)

Pedestrian Movement in the Village Vehicular Movement Outside the Village

Eksar Koliwada Village as it exists is a mixture of many dilapidated buildings and bad infrastructure. However, the character of the village is unique and traces its root to the past village lifestyle.

The proposal aims at maintaining the architectural and urban character of the village while improving the lifestyle and the architecture of the dilapidated buildings in the village.

5 2

7 4

GROUND FLOOR: THE NEW URBAN CLUSTER

FIRST FLOOR: THE NEW URBAN CLUSTER

FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

ISOMETRIC VIEW: EXPLODED NEW URBAN CLUSTER

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE INTERNAL URBAN CORRIDOR

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE OUTDOOR URBAN CORRIDOR

A GLOBAL CENTRE FOR PLURALISM: A CENTRE FOR ARTS, CULTURE AND RELIGION DESIGN DISSERTATION: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT MUMBAI, INDIA, 2017 - 2018

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE CENTRAL LOBBY

Pluralism is the language of respect and compassion. It is the language which show us what it means to be a human being. The Centre aims to bridge the gap between communities and faiths by educating the youths of the society as well as the adults about each other’s faith and culture by means of cultural workshops, exhibitions and debates. Education is always the route to intercultural literacy and communication among the diverse society we today live in. Investment in culture and cultural expressions foster confidence and lessen the fear of the ‘other’. Too often we see that conflicts stems from the fear of the unknown. Education can counter the ignorance in the society but pluralism concerns more than overcoming fear. It is a positive expression of identities coupled with the willingness to learn and exchange knowledge. Cultural investment along with cultural expression are two critical drivers for pluralism in a secular country like India. The provisions of cultural spaces where individuals and communities together can express their traditions and art creates a sense of openness and tolerance in the society.

The Centre is located in the capital city of India, New Delhi in collaboration with the surrounding public and private schools to participate in the activities organised in the centre. Being located in a hot and composite climate, the design of the building is inspired by the Red Fort of New Delhi. The building uses geothermal cooling system by submerging the building under ground and use open spaces with water bodies to constantly supply cool air ventilation in the areas.

Lower Level -1 (3.00M): 1. Public Plaza 2. Main Entrance Plaza 3. Parking

Lower Level -1 (3.00M): 1. Media Centre 2. Seminar Hall 3. Arts and Culture Workshops 4. Cafeteria

Lower Level -2 (-6.00M): 1. Cultural Interpretation Centre 2. Administration Offices 3. Main Entrance Lobby 33

Media Centre/ Seminar Hall

Entrance Plaza on Road Level

Courtyard

Administration Offices

Main Entrance Lobby, subterranean level

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE LONG CORRIDOR OF THE EDUCATION CENTRE

Public Plaza on Road Level

Cultural Interpretation Centre on subterranean level

Entrance Plaza on Road Level

SECTION THROUGH THE INTERPRETATION CENTRE

Rainwater Reservoir

Corridor to Seminar Hall

Media Centre/ Seminar Hall

SECTION THROUGH THE MAIN CENTRAL RECEPTION LOBBY

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE SUNKEN EDUCATION CENTRE AND WORKSHOPS

BANDRA - KURLA COMPLEX: AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT MUMBAI, INDIA, 2017

THE LOCATION OF THE SITE IN THE CITY OF MUMBAI

SInce the colonial era, the city of Bombay has been of great economic importance due to its long natural coastline which offers a direct sea trade route with the rest of the world. Even today, Bombay is the financial capital of the country and a city of opportunities for multi-national companies and start-ups. Initially, Nariman Point in the city centre was the major commercial hub until 1977 which was facing many problems such as traffic congestion and the distance of the hub from the outlying suburbs of Bandra and northern Bombay forced the government to install a new commercial hub in the city thereby reducing the pressure on the existing Nariman Point in the south. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) was appointed as the special planning authority for the planning and development of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) . BKC is located at an ideal location which is at the border of the eastern and western suburbs and the island city of Mumbai

The project is situated in the G-Block of the complex which houses many international companies and bank headquarters such as Scotia, ICICI etc. The buildings in the complex are inspired by the western architectural language of a commercial building made of aluminium and glass. However, this language does not work in a tropical environment of Mumbai which receives direct sunlight and heat causing a dramatic heat island effect in the BKC. The project aims to create an architecture in relation to the environmental context using locally used materials such as bricks and stone instead of aluminium panels and glass glazing and to encourage more natural ventilation and natural cooling system using architectural features such as chajjas, and balconies, thereby also creating new social spaces for informal meetings and breaks.

Typical Floor Plan: 1. Start-up Companies 2. Multi-National Companies

2nd Floor Plan: 1. Seminar Halls 2. Buffet Area

First Floor Plan: 1. Exhibition Centre 2. Media Centre 3. Restaurant and Bar

Ground Floor Plan: 1. Public Plaza 2. Entrance Lobby 3. Exhibition Centre 4. Cafeteria 5. Gymnasium 37

3D SECTION THROUGH THE URBAN PLAZA AND OFFICES

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE URBAN PLAZA

PERSPECTIVE VIEW: THE PROPOSED BUSIENSS CENTRE

CONTACT ZAID PRASLA

47 Robb’s Loan, Edinburgh EH14 1TY +44 7587 103360 z.prasla@sms.ed.ac.uk praslazaid@gmail.com